Do You Make Time to Hear God?
As a society, we live busy, hurried, loud lives, rushing from one place to another, or one thing to another trying to allow our feet to catch up to our agenda. Even when we have time to pause our minds are cluttered. It would take a big theatrical display of God’s majesty to stop us in our tracks, in order for us to really pay attention to God. Yet, God is not a puppet on display. He is the God of the universe that deserves our attention.
When I consider thy Heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that You visit him?
Psalm 8:3-4
In 1 Kings, Elijah desired to hear from God, yet he was looking for God in all the wrong places. He looked for God in the strong winds, and the earthquakes, and the fire; but no, in this instance, God wanted to talk to Elijah in a still small voice. God has the power to part the Red Sea, and send plagues to cover Egypt, yet sometimes He doesn’t need to display His power in this way, He wants you to sit at His feet and acknowledge Him as your loving creator and friend (John 15:15).
Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord,” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.
1 Kings 19:11-12
Be still, and know that I am God.
Psalm 46:10
But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.
Matthew 6:6
Would you hear God if He talked to you? Do you pause long enough in your daily activities to hear when God calls your name? In 1 Samuel 3, God calls Samuel 3 times before He realizes that it was God who was calling him. Sometimes it takes me even longer than 3 times to verify that it is God prompting my steps. This should not be.
And you know what? I don’t just think it is only time with God that we fail to pause for. The static noise fills our minds and life that sometimes we miss other things that need our attention. Our sleeping baby in our arms, our young child who wants to show us their piece of art. What are we thinking about that fills our minds, appearing to be of the utmost importance that trumps the things that really are important?
There is the all too familiar story of Mary and Martha. Two sisters with different approaches to loving God. Martha was a doer, which in itself is a noteworthy attribute, yet she was so busy that she failed to focus on the most important part, and that was pausing and listening to Jesus. Do we have such a distant relationship from God that we fail to receive the love and companionship that He has to offer.
The love we share with others is really sharing the love we have received, yet sometimes we stretch ourselves so thin that our wearied heart forgets what that feels like. We need to start filling up our cup with what God so graciously offers every morning, every minute, and realize God is enough to fill us. He is enough strength for all we need, but if we don’t make time for God, nothing will change. We will continue to do it in our own strength with a tired heart that feels worn out.
She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
Luke 10:39-42
Make time for God. Make time for the one who knows the number of hairs on your head (Luke 12:7) and has written you on the palms of His hand. (Isaiah 49:16). Symbols of His love are imprinted everywhere. He will be your strength, your joy, your heart, if you truly let Him in, and listen to Him as He calls your name. You will see that He has been waiting with open arms to offer His personalized love to you.